On Thursday, December 12, 2013 04:34:51 [email protected] wrote:
> Hello all,
> I would like voice my concerns about the discussion on donations to the
> space. I feel like in the process of growing we have lost sight of the
> mission of SYN/HAK. We want to teach, learn, and make. All of these are
> interconnected. I feel the current discussions are driven more by what
> people want for themselves rather than what Is best for SYN/HAK as a
> nonprofit community workshop. Lately we have seen some outstanding and
> generally unseen generosity ranging from stacks of computers to people
> delving into their own pockets far more than should be needed. We have
> started some great things here. And others are willing to support it.
>
> With all that I don't believe the space can exist in its current state if
> its a mad free-for-all to take personal advantage of others generosity.
> Without the space, these donations would have possibly ended up
> stored in basements, attics, or sent to the land fill. By stripping
> SYN/HAK of its ability to use what is donated to SYN/HAK we are
> paving the way to failure.
We've existed in its current state because of the mad free-for-all.
Would you mind explaining how opening the hack pile to the public strips
SYNHAK of its ability to use donations?
>
> I feel the default should be donations are to SYN/HAK and its
> infrastructure first and foremost unless obviously stated.
> SYN/HAK can then use it as it see fit. Improve the space for
> The benefit of all, sell the items to raise funds for the space,
> or give it away to members and non members alike.
I think it should be the other way around. If someone wants to donate to the
space's infrastructure, they should explicitly say that. If they want to drop
off stuff and see what people can make with it, I feel that should be the
default.
Contributions to SYNHAK's infrastructure is merely a subset of "see what
people can make with it".
>
> Currently the view is donations are free to all unless stated
> for SYN/HAK use only. I feel this is the wrong way to keep
> the awesome thing we have alive.
I think a more wrong way is to introduce pre-emptive rules that try to solve a
perceived problem.
Last I checked, we didn't have a problem with guests walking in, grabbing
stuff, then turning around and selling it because it was a free for all.
If someone *does* do that, we have the power to prevent them from coming back
in. Until then, we must not punish everyone with restrictions just because of
a few bad apples that, in our almost three years of existence, are only myth.
>
> That being said I propose this:
>
> All donations are for SYN/HAK Inc. by default.
> If the donatee wishes it the be freely hacked by members and
> non members alike, it must be stated.
> If SYN/HAK maintainers do not see a need they can choose
> to put the item up for sale, donate it to another hackerspace, or
> give it to anyone in or outside the space.
By assuming all donations are SYNHAK's, that results in SYNHAK becoming a
large silo of donated crap that nobody wants and the membership is required to
pick through. Sure, we get some really nice toys donated, but we also get a
lot of crap that walks in through the front door.
If someone wants to donate something to SYNHAK with the goal of it being used
for SYNHAK's infrastructure, they need to explicitly say that. The default
action should result in providing the general public with more resources to be
creative and make things. Improving the space is a subset of "being creative
and making things". 21 W. North is the largest collaborative project I've seen
in northeast Ohio, with contributors from all over the area.
Here's my counter proposal to your proposal:
* All donations that arrive at SYNHAK are free for all to hack by default
* All donations that are explicitly stated to be given to SYNHAK for any
purpose become the real property of SYNHAK, Inc.
* Members are responsible for determining if specific individuals are abusing
the free-for-all nature of the hack pile for scummy purposes, including but
not limited to:
** Immediately reselling objects for personal monetary gain that does not
benefit SYNHAK's mission
** Disposing of objects strictly to prevent others from being able to use them
** Destroying usable objects for the purpose of smashing or blowing up things
because its cool
* Members are responsible for asking abusers of the hack pile to leave SYNHAK
and come back during a tuesday meeting for discussion and mediation
* The hack pile maintainers merely ensure that:
** EVERYONE participates in working with donors to figure out
** EVERYONE participates in putting a date sticker on new arrivals
** EVERYONE participates in throwing out expired objects
My rationale for this is as follows:
* SYNHAK is an infrastructure provider for creative people.
* The hack pile is considered a part of our infrastructure, as it provides
free raw resources for creative people to use
* SYNHAK's mission statement does not state anything about SYNHAK
infrastructure being limited to only members
* Membership at SYNHAK gives a person exactly one privilege over non-members:
The permission to participate in our self governance
* If a contributor wishes to provide real property for the purpose of
improving SYNHAK's infrastructure, they will likely have that made known in
advance of donating already, along with the community coming up with a
workable plan for its use.
* I come to SYNHAK to make things. I don't come to SYNHAK to be made to pick
apart piles of junk and make determinations of whether or not each individual
piece will benefit the corporation and its members, before even considering
the wider community of people who use its infrastructure.
A long time ago, I shared this small poem with the space:
For we're excellent to each other here
We rarely ever block
We value tools over pre-emptive rules
And spurn the key and the lock.
--Danny O'Brien, 2010-11-09 general meeting notes, Noisebridge
At the time I shared it, a number of people agreed that it describes SYNHAK's
culture rather well. Call me old and stubborn, but this whole mess is a
perfect example of the exact opposite.
Limiting donations to members only by default is a pre-emptive rule that tries
to combat the perceived problem of non-members using new donations for
personal gain instead of feeding into the great circlejerk of "SYNHAK needs to
benefit from everything!!!11!"
I challenge any of the subscribers on this list to provide to me an example of
a non-member taking things from the hack pile causing SYNHAK to be worse off
because of it.
I'm also starting to think that the idea of "Maintainers" was a very bad one
and should be gotten rid of since most everyone seems to be using it as a way
to say they have some kind of "power" over others, as opposed to my intent of
it being a simple way for people to answer the question "Who knows how this
works?"
> This gives SYN/HAK the ability to continue on its mission.
> These are just my opinions on these matters as a SYN/HAK
> member in good standing, maintainer, board member, and
> "From the beginning" SYN/HAKer.
It doesn't matter when anyone got involved in SYNHAK, if they're a
"maintainer", if they're a board member, if they've donated thousands of
dollars of supplies and equipment out of their own pocket, or even if they're
the founder.
What matters is the value of contributions. Please don't throw those words
around as if they somehow give you extra authority. Devin, you *do* make an
incredible number of valuable contributions to the space, and that gives you
the authority to have any weight with what you say. Many of us know that we've
had people in the past who have been:
* Board Member
* Member in good standing
* "From the beginning" hakker
all at the same time. They made zero positive contributions to the group. They
are no longer involved with the group. Please do not mention names.
>
> Thanks for your time
>
> Devin Wolfe.
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